Reversible front garment



Nov. 3, 1953 M. c. OBRlEN 2,657,388

REVERSIBLE FRONT GARMENT Eild April 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Marfh a C. O Brien.

gBY I W ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1953 M. C. O'BRIEN REVERSIBLE FRONT GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1952 INVEIYTOR. Marfha C, OBrien ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE FRONT GARMENT- Martha 0. OBrien, Warrensburg, Mo. 7 Application Aprill'l, 1952, Serial No. 282,849

2 Claims. (01. 2-74) This invention relates to garments of the reversible front type so that when one front 'becomes soiled, it may be overlapped by another front thereby doubling the serviceof the garment. v v.

The. principal object of the invention is to provide the inner sides of the respective. fronts with tabs for facilitating fastening of the waist portion of the underneath front on the inner sides of the garment and to cooperate with tabs and. fasteners on the outer face of the garment in supporting the fronts thereof neatly and smoothly across the front of the wearer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a waist or belt structure for this type of garment utilizing snap fasteners as distinguished from the customary buttons and ties; toprovide a belt or waist structurewhichpresents; a symmetrical appearance at the respective sides of the garment; and to provide a belt or waist structure which is readily adjustable in either position of the fronts to effect a close fitted waist.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a garment constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the right front of the-garment overlapping the left front, with the tabs secured to retain the fronts in orderly position on the wearer of the garment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the garment showing the fronts thereof in open position to better illustrate the Waist structure as well as the tabsand snap fasteners for securing the fronts of the garment in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the tab on the left front portionconnected with the tab on the inside of the right front portion of the garment.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the garment taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the tabs in unsnapped condition. U

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the interior of the garment to better illustrate the inside tabs.

Fig. '7 shows the first step in reversal of the front portions of the garment, the tab on the left front portion being secured to the inner tab of the right front portion and the right front portion being moved in overlapping relation with the left front portion.

Fig. 8 is a similar view'with the left front'portion overlapping the'right" front portion and 2 with the outer tab of the left front portion secured to the right front portion.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section through the fas-. tening means on one side of the garment.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a garment constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is especially adapted for professional use by nurses, laboratory technicians, manicurists, waitresses and by other persons requiring a garment for longer service between laundering periods. The garment comprises attached blouse and skirt portions 2 and '3 interconnected by a waist or belt portion 4. The blouse portion 2 may have sleeves 5 and a collar '6 of any desired style and finish depending upon the particular use of the garment.

The garment is open in front from the collar 6 to the lower edge 1 of the skirt portion 3 and is of suflicient size to provide reversible overlapping front portions Band 9, each portion being adapted to extend substantially across, the front of the wearer of the garment. The garment may be provided with pockets [0 and II at the sides thereof which are positioned so that they are useable when the fronts 8 and 9 are in overlapping relation.

The waist or belt portion 4 interconnects the blouse and skirt portions and is secured by stitching l2. The ends of the belt project beyond the edges i3 and M of the respective front portions 8 and '9 to provide tabs [5 and I6 provided with socket members I! and I8 of conventional snap fasteners with the sockets thereof arranged on the inner side of the tabs l5 and I6 as best shown in Fig. 6 to cooperate with stud members l9 and 20 of the snap fasteners and which are attached to the outer face of the waist or belt portion at the sides of the garment as best shown in Fig. 5. j

In order to provide adjustability of the waist portion of the garment to the size of the wearer, the belt portions may be provided with additional stud members 2| and 22. The socket members I! and I8 also cooperate with stud members 23-24 and 25-26 which, in accordance with the present invention, are attached to tabs 21 and 28 that are stitched to the inner side of the belt orwaist portion 4 at the respective inner sides'ofthe garment as indicated at 29 and 30, Fig. 5 so that when the tabs 2'! and 28 are flat against the inner face of the garment, the stud members 23-24 and. 25 -2B substantially register with the stud members 20-2I and 25-26 on the outer side of the garment. Thus when the left front 3 is to be overlapped by the right front 9, the socket member I! on the left front 8 is connected withone of the stud members 25 or 26 carried by the tab 28, and the socket member ill on the right front 9 is connected with one or the other of the stud members 2! and 22 on the outer side of the left front 8.

In order to provide a symmetrical appearance at the respective sides of the belt or waist portion, the outer sides thereof are provided with tabs 3! and '32 similar to the inside tabs 21 and 28. The tabs 3! and 32 are secured to the outer face of the belt portion as indicated at 33 and 34 to provide free ends 35 and 3B which are equipped with socket members 3'! and 38 adapted to connect with one of the outer stud members 22 .or .21

When one of the socket members ll or iii of the tabs l or IE are engaged with the outer studs, the adjacent tab, for example the tab 3|, is .turned reversely in contact with the outer side of the underlying front portion as shown in Fig. 9. The socket member 38 ofthe tab 32 may then be engaged with the ,rearmost stud member 22 to retain that tab smoothly against the garment and cooperate with the tab in presenting a symmetrical appearance at the respective sides of thegarment.

The garmentis donned in the manner of a coat and one of the front portionsis carried across the front of the wearer, for example the left front portion '13, and the socket member ll of the tab i5 is attached to one of the studs '25 or 26 on the inner tab 28 which gives a snug fit about the waist of the wearer. Thesocket member 17 is readily engaged with .one or the other of the'stud members .25 or 28 since the studs are on the free portion of the tab 28 and the tab is readily manipulated to make the desired connection at the .inside of thegarment, Fig. 3.

The right front 9 is then extended over the left front 8 and with the outer tab 3i turned backwardly against the belt portion of the left front, the socket member is ofthe tab it is engaged with one or the otherof the stud members or 2],. To ,present a symmetrical appearance and cover the, studs. [9 and .22, thesocket member 38 of the outer tab '32 is engaged with the stud 22 asshown in Fig. 4.

The right front 9 may thus be worn over the left front 8 until the right front is soiled. The tab 16 is then disengaged from its connecting stud, and the ,garmentis opened to expose the socket member IT on the left front which may be readily disengaged from its connecting stud on the tab .28. The soiled right front 9 is then drawn across the front of the wearer and the socket member l8 thereof is connected with one of the stud members of the tab ,2? to secure and support the free edge of the right front. The left front 8 is then extended over the soiled right front 9 and the socket member 38 of the tab 36 is disengaged from the stud member 22 so that the tab 38 maybe folded retractively, after which the socket member I! on the left front 8 is engaged with the stud H] or 22 as desired. A clean front is now presented so that the garment may be worn until that front is soiled.

Thus the reversible fronts G and 9 provide for longer service of the garment between laundering periods .and permit the wearer to present a clean neat appearance for a longer time while wearing the same garment.

While I have mentioned specific uses for the garment, the structure may be carried out in a house dress, apron, or coverall without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is obvious that the inner tabs facilitate atta hment of the underlapping front portion and that they cooperate with the connections of the overlapping front to provide a straight set of the front of the garment.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment of the type comprising overlapping right and left front portions having a :belt line, 'inner tabs fixedto inner side faces of the garment substantially in registry with terminal edges of said right and left front portions and substantially at the belt line of the garment, said inner tabs having free ends, tabs on said terminal edges of the right and left front portions substantially at the belt line and in registry with the inner tabs for alternate connection with said inner tabs depending upon which of said front portions is undermost, fasteners having one element on free ends of each of the inner tabs and a cooperating element on each of the tabs of the front portion to make said connections for the undermost portion, fastener elements on the outer sides of the garment substantially corresponding with the elements on the inner tabs for alternate engagement with said cooperating element on the tabs of said front portions to fasten the outermost portion, and outer tabs securedto the respective sides of the front portions for alternately covering the elements on the outer sides of the garment depending upon which of the side portions is outermost and having elements corresponding to said cooperating elements on the tabs of said front portions to engage said elements on the outer sides of the garment for symmetry in appearance on the outer sides of the belt line of the garment.

2. In a garment of the type comprising overlapping right and left front portions and having an attached belt extending across said front portions, inner tabs fixed 'to inner side faces of the garment substantially in registry with terminal edges of said right and left front portion and substantially at the belt of the garment, said inner tabs having free ends, tabs on said terminal ends of said belt and in "registry with the inner tabs for alternate connection with said inner tabs, depending upon which of said front portions is undermost, fasteners having one element on the free ends of each of the inner tabs and a cooperating element on each of the tabs at the terminals of the belt to make said connec tion for the undermo'st front portion; fastener elements on the outer sides of the belt substantially corresponding with the elements on the inner tabs for alternate engagement with said cooperating element on the tabs of said belt to fasten the outermost front portion, and outer tabs having a width corresponding with the width of said belt and having ends of a shape corresponding to the shape of the belt tabs, said outer tabs being secured to the belt at the respective sides of'the front portions for alternately covering the elements on the outer sides of the belt depending upon which of the front portion is outermost and having elements corresponding to said cooperating elements at the terminals of the belt to engage said elements on the outer sides of the belt for symmetry in appearance regardless of which of said front portions is outermost.

MARTHA C. OBRIEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,147,265 Nelson Feb. 14, 1939 2,260,168 Costanza Oct. 21, 1941 2,311,246 Pearl Feb. 16, 1943 

